Top 40 Horror Movie Theories That Turned Out to Be True and 10 That Really Didn't

#40: Alex Was In On the Whole Thing

“Weapons” (2025)

Horror fans had their knives out early for “Weapons” — and they weren’t wrong. The trailer sparked speculation that Cary Christopher’s Alex Lilly, the lone student who doesn’t vanish in the film’s central mass disappearance, might be more than a survivor. As the tangled web of Zach Cregger’s film unravels, it’s clear he’s not just lucky: Alex is an unwilling accomplice in Gladys’ plan, luring his classmates into a sinister scheme with supernatural implications. The film uses his survivor status as a red herring, masking his involvement until a late-breaking twist reveals his shocking connection to Gladys, who’s played by Oscar nominee Amy Madigan. This fan theory added to the fun, turning “Weapons’” marketing into a puzzle that eagle-eyed viewers solved before opening night.

#39: Death Has a Long Memory

“Final Destination Bloodlines” (2025)

Two decades on, the “Final Destination” franchise proves you can’t outrun fate. Fans long suspected that Death wasn’t just some random force, but an intelligent predator, stalking those who meddle with its design. This overdue sequel makes that theory explicit: protagonist Stefani (played by Kaitlyn Santa Juana) discovers her family has been dodging destiny for generations, making her more of a target than a survivor. The film revels in the franchise’s signature Rube Goldberg-style kills, but what sets it apart is its commitment to the lore: Death isn’t merely patient, it’s personal, punishing any attempt to break the chain. By the finale, Stefani’s desperate gambit only confirms the inevitable: Death always collects, and every clever scheme makes the payoff… well, nastier.

#38: The Possession of Lee Harker

“Longlegs” (2024)

Few modern horror endings invite such speculation as “Longlegs’” gut-punch finale. Fans quickly zeroed in on the chilling possibility that FBI agent Lee Harker, after killing her own mother under the influence of satanic manipulation, ends the film possessed or spiritually claimed by the devil. The clues are all there: Maika Monroe’s character freezes instead of destroying the cursed doll, the sinister “Hail Satan” echo lingers over the scene, and the narrative offers only minimal catharsis. Writer-director Oz Perkins hasn’t outright confirmed the theory, but his comments about the finale being “as bad as it could have turned out” only fuel the fire. In true satanic-panic fashion, “Longlegs” leaves us wondering whether evil was truly exorcised… or if it found a new host.

#37: A Cursed Concert

“Smile 2” (2024)

From the moment “Smile 2’s” marketing campaign kicked off, fans were convinced Naomi Scott’s Skye Riley wouldn’t survive her own concert. Trailers teased a smiling, blood-soaked breakdown on stage, leading horror diehards to theorize that she’d die in front of a massive crowd, passing the entity’s curse to thousands of unsuspecting fans. That grim prediction was dead-on: the film’s finale sees Skye succumb to the demon mid-performance, her onstage death broadcast to the world. Whether the curse spread to her audience is left deliberately ambiguous, but the scene’s shocking brutality and viral reach take “Smile’s” themes of trauma-as-contagion to a terrifying new scale.

#36: The Arrowhead Project

“The Mist” (2007)

Stephen King’s novella left the mist’s origins tantalizingly vague, but fans long suspected a human hand in the terror. Theories point to the Arrowhead Project, a secret military experiment in Shaymore, as the cause — and Frank Darabont’s 2007 film all but confirms it. Dialogue in the movie ties the mist to Shaymore, where military forces were swarming as the fog rolled in. An early draft of Darabont’s script spelled it out: a storm-struck portal experiment went haywire, tearing a hole between dimensions and letting the monsters through. Cutting this explicit scene preserved King’s ambiguity, but the clues are undeniable. The horror of “The Mist” isn’t random: it’s a chilling, manmade catastrophe, turning humanity’s own hubris into the scariest creature of all.

#35: Mia Dies At the End

“Talk to Me” (2022)

“Talk to Me’s” haunting finale was hotly debated, in the end, what many suspected was confirmed: Mia left the building… permanently. The climax sees Sophie Wilde’s character choose to sacrifice herself rather than kill Riley, hurling herself into traffic and freeing him from the entity’s grip. The devastating ending cuts to Mia’s spirit wandering in darkness before being summoned through the embalmed hand, revealing she’s now one of the tortured souls on the other side. Said co-director Danny Philippou, “We wanted to tell a tragedy, and Mia’s making the wrong decisions throughout the film and being stripped of every ounce of intimacy.” It’s the kind of horror ending that offers no escape, only a chilling confirmation of the characters’ worst fears.

#34: Annie's Mom Was an Occultist

“Hereditary” (2018)

Ari Aster’s feature-length debut rewards sharp-eyed viewers, and repeated watches reveal how deeply Annie’s family was doomed. From the start, Toni Collette’s Annie seems haunted by her mother Ellen’s cryptic past, but subtle details — strange symbols, unsettling acquaintances at Ellen’s funeral, and eerie stories about her secrecy — hint at something bigger. By the harrowing finale, those breadcrumbs converge: Ellen was a high-ranking member of a cult devoted to summoning the demon Paimon, grooming her own family as vessels. Annie’s grief-stricken breakdown masks a carefully orchestrated plot, and a second watch makes the cult’s presence feel suffocatingly obvious, from background extras to ominous carvings. Aster’s smash hit wasn’t just about grief and mental illness; it was a meticulous demonic conspiracy hiding in plain sight.

#33: The Spread of the Rage Virus

“28 Years Later” (2025)

For years, fans of Danny Boyle’s “28 Days Later” franchise debated whether the Rage Virus had escaped Britain. “28 Weeks Later” teased global chaos, but the franchise’s third instalment finally cleared the air: the infection was successfully contained. A chilling opening prologue explains that while the virus devastated the UK, continental Europe managed to push it back and quarantine the British Isles, abandoning survivors to fend for themselves. It’s a devastating piece of world-building that reframes the series — not as a worldwide apocalypse, but as a slow-burn horror about an isolated nation left to rot. This confirmation makes the film’s stakes even sharper: the terror isn’t everywhere, but Britain has become a sealed petri dish of rage, regret, and unimaginable loss.

#32: Vampires All Along

“Sinners” (2025)

Ryan Coogler’s horror bonanza kept its cards close, but fans weren’t fooled. The film’s first trailer sparked speculation that its shadowy villains were vampires, an idea pieced together from flickering glimpses of fanged figures, blood-soaked juke joints, and ominous talk of “the hunger.” Subsequent marketing all but confirmed it, and the finished film sealed the deal: the story is a chilling Southern Gothic about a community under siege from a vampire cabal, wrapped in blues-soaked atmosphere and social commentary. Warner Bros.’ initial restraint made the reveal satisfying: what was teased as a ghost story or spiritual parable turns out to be a brutal, lore-rich vampire saga.

#31: A Secret Society

“The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1995)

By the time this film rolled around in 1995, fans noticed that something felt off. Theories swirled that a secret society was behind the Sawyer family’s violence, and writer-director Kim Henkel later confirmed that’s exactly what he intended. The film’s shadowy character Rothman isn’t simply a sleazy handler: he’s part of an Illuminati-style cult that uses Leatherface’s atrocities to explore “transcendence through horror.” While poorly received at release, the movie has since earned cult status for adding a conspiratorial twist to the franchise’s chaotic mythology, proving that the madness wasn’t random carnage at all, but the work of sinister puppet masters hiding in plain sight.

#30: It’s a Setup

“The Cabin in the Woods” (2011)

A clever subversion of the classic “cabin in the woods” movie, the, uh, “Cabin in the Woods” is all about one big setup. You see, these scientist guys lure teenagers to a fake cabin and then sick all sorts of creepy monsters on them in an effort to kill them, harvest their blood, and satiate subterranean demons. As you do. While the extent of the twist wasn’t guessed beforehand, people correctly assumed that it was all a setup. There are numerous shots in the trailer showing some type of lab, and that - combined with the very “tropey” nature of the story - had some correctly deducing that not all was what it seemed.

#29: It’s a Simulation

“Don’t Worry Darling” (2022)

While it’s more of a psychological thriller, “Don’t Worry Darling” still contains some disturbing imagery and follows many classic horror movie tropes. It’s very “Black Mirror.” And that includes the presence of outlandish technology, including simulations. We learn that Alice is a modern woman living in an idealistic simulation of the 1950s. Once again, this twist was correctly guessed beforehand by many people based solely on the evidence in the trailer. In fact, the movie received a middling reception, with many people criticizing its too-obvious twist. A twist we all knew was coming, and one that the movie was way too late in introducing.

#28: The Candyman Hive

“Candyman” (2021)

What if Daniel Robitaille wasn’t the only Candyman? This is what some fans have been theorizing for years, and the answer was finally given in the 2021 requel. This movie had a fresh cast of characters and a modern setting, and it was also co-written by Jordan Peele, who loves him some social commentary. Add the two together, and fans were theorizing that the “Candyman” legend could actually relate to some type of social justice theme. This theory was confirmed through the Candyman “hive,” which is where the souls of murdered Black men go to be reincarnated as vengeful killers. Daniel is seemingly the figurehead of this collective “hive,” as evidenced by the resurrected Anthony morphing into him at the end of the film.

#27: Imposters

“The Visit” (2015)

Hey, look. Another trailer. Another twist we all correctly theorized. M. Night Shyamalan is known for his wild stories, but this one is refreshingly simple - some kids go to visit their grandparents, and Nana and Pop Pop sure are acting weird! Unfortunately, simple stories tend to breed simple twists, and this had to be one of Shyamalan’s easiest. Once again, people theorized from the trailer that Nana and Pop Pop were imposters, and, well, yep. That’s exactly what they were! The elder couple are actually escaped patients from the psychiatric hospital in which the real grandparents worked, having assumed their identities after murdering them.

#26: A Co-Conspirator

“Saw II” (2006)

The first “Saw” was a simple enough movie, but like most sequels, “Saw II” ramped up the production values. Rather than a decrepit bathroom, this one takes place in a massive house and involves numerous elaborate traps - not to mention a side plot going on with Detective Matthews. The first movie established that Jigsaw was sick, and in this film he can barely stand. Naturally, many theorized that the killer had an accomplice, as he couldn’t possibly have done this all by himself. And wouldn’t you know it, it was that woman from the first movie! In the climax, Amanda reveals that she has been working with Jigsaw ever since her first game and that she helped him set up the elaborate test.

#25: Incarnation of God

“Shin Godzilla” (2016)

No one really knows where the name “Gojira” comes from, but it’s widely thought to be a portmanteau of the Japanese words “gorira,” meaning “gorilla,” and “kujira,” meaning “whale.” Yep, Godzilla is a gorilla whale! When the title was translated to English, it morphed from “Gojira” to “Godzilla,” and many people thought that it meant “God lizard” or something to that effect. This is in keeping with the movie’s themes of divine retribution, as Godzilla serves as a warning against nuclear war. This theory was confirmed, or at least acknowledged, in the 2016 film “Shin Godzilla.” “Shin” can translate to “new,” “true,” or even, you guessed it, “God.” This is also confirmed in-movie by Patterson, who explicitly refers to Godzilla’s divine origins.

#24: Teddy Is a Patient

“Shutter Island” (2010)

The twist ending of “Shutter Island” is often praised, but some people nailed it solely from the trailer. So here’s the deal - a detective goes to an isolated psychiatric hospital to inquire about a missing patient. These types of “mysterious remote location” movies almost always have a twist, so viewers were already on edge. Furthermore, the trailer shows Teddy having visions and suffering from some type of delusion. There are also numerous shots of a blonde-haired woman and a child, including one where the woman disappears, one where they’re engulfed in fire, and one where Teddy is screaming over a body. Put them all together, and you’ve guessed the twist - Teddy is the patient, having murdered his wife after she drowned their children.

#23: Resurrection Gone Wrong

“Puppet Master II” (1990)

This franchise has a weird chronology, with the third, fourth, and fifth movies serving as prequels to the first and second. In the latter, the titular puppet master André Toulon is reanimated by Pinhead and walks around in the guise of Eriquee Chaneé. He is violent and murderous in this film, which contrasts highly with his characterization in the prequels. This led many fans to believe that, as is often the case in horror, his resurrection went wrong and he came back different. This was finally confirmed in the “Puppet Master” comic books, a canonical series made by Action Lab Comics between 2015 and 2018.

#22: Norman Killed the Ghost

“What Lies Beneath” (2000)

If you learn one thing from this list, it’s that you shouldn’t watch trailers for horror movies. The marketing for “What Lies Beneath” makes it seem like a simple haunted house story, only with one major twist - a twist that the trailer essentially revealed. It makes explicitly clear that Norman ended an affair, the woman took her own life, and her ghost is now haunting Norman out of vengeance. It straight up tells us that! Yes, it leaves out the detail that Norman actually killed her, but this “twist” was instantly theorized by virtually everyone who saw the trailer. The film ended up receiving mediocre reviews, with many critics calling out its painfully obvious story beats.

#21: “Alien” & “Blade Runner” Share a Universe

“Alien” (1979) & “Blade Runner” (1982)

How much do easter eggs and director statements matter to the established lore of a franchise? If they’re highly regarded, then it’s a fact that “Alien” and “Blade Runner” exist within the same universe - a theory that fans have suggested for years. They both share themes of dystopia and artificial intelligence, and they both have established interspace colonies. Furthermore, easter eggs seemingly connect the two franchises, including an identical computer screen shared by Ripley and Gaff, and the “Alien” DVD confirms that Dallas once worked for Tyrell. Finally, Scott confirmed the connection in his “Blade Runner” commentary, claiming that the “Alien” crew might live in the same city as Deckard.

#20: The Thing Has No True Form

“The Thing” (2011)

As you surely know, the Thing’s key feature is its ability to mimic any form of life it assimilates. This led fans of the 1982 classic to wonder what it would look like if stripped of all its glamors, if anything. Director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. answered this one question, by claiming it’s less like an actual creature and more like a “virus.” Sure, we’d prefer info from the OG maestro John Carpenter, but he’s been deliberately cagey about details, saying he knows who the Thing is at the end of his film, but that we never will.

#19: “Nope” Is About Aliens

“Nope” (2022)

Since “Get Out,” Jordan Peele movies have inspired endless analyses and theories, even when they have yet to be released. Promotional materials have loved to tease in this way, too, with the first posters featuring certain motifs. While the first one for “Us” showed a character holding a pair of scissors, “Nope’s” poster only gave us a cloud with a kite tail to go off of. With story details pending, fans immediately began to speculate that inside that cloud was an Unidentified Flying Object. Sure enough, the movie ended up featuring just such a UFO, only no one could have predicted its true, beastly nature.

#18: Sidney & Mark Got Together

“Scream 3” (2000)

Sidney Prescott has not had the best luck with relationships, even though she deserves a happily ever after. She finally got it, but we didn’t know about it for some time. In “Scream 3,” the franchise’s final girl seems to have some chemistry with LAPD Detective Mark Kincaid, but nothing is explicitly stated or acted upon. Mark’s last seen in the film’s epilogue getting chummy with the gang, leaving fans to wonder if this is only in a friendly capacity or something more. When it seemed like no sequel would ever be acknowledged, the fifth entry twenty-two years later finally confirmed that Sidney and Mark were not only married, but had kids. Now, what are the odds of getting McDreamy back on a “Scream” set?

#17: Michael Bay’s Shared Universe

“Friday the 13th” (2009) & “Transformers” franchise (2007-)

This one’s a little tenuous, so bear with us. As many will know, Michael Bay directed the first live-action “Transformers” movie. As less will know, he’s also produced several horror remakes, including 2009’s “Friday the 13th.” What both films share is actor Travis Van Winkle, who plays characters named Trent in each. Granted, the characters have different last names in novelizations and deleted scenes, which we’ll let you decide if it’s a canon killer. But the characters’ same jerky attitude has led many to believe they’re one in the same. Several publications have reported on Bay confirming this, but the primary source seemingly can’t be found. Still, Mikaela was right to dump him, else she too end up at Crystal Lake.

#16: “Midsommar” Is a Fairy Tale

“Midsommar” (2019)

This one delves more into themes than plot dynamics, but remains fascinating all the same. Ari Aster’s visually arresting film “Midsommar” follows Dani, a young woman who suffers the tragic loss of her family in the opening minutes. She later joins her boyfriend and his pals on a trip to Sweden, where they study and ingratiate themselves into a pagan cult. Things of course don’t go well, as Dani’s friends are killed before she’s crowned the May Queen. Early viewings had many likening it to themes of old-school fairy tales, and it wasn’t long before Aster shared the same sentiment. Now that it’s a fairy tale, there’s only one thing to do: wait for the Disney version.

#15: Clover Is a Deep Sea Creature

“Cloverfield” (2008)

The “Cloverfield” franchise has embraced mystery, even going back to the first film’s marketing campaign. Naturally, being a found footage POV movie, “Cloverfield” focuses more on the characters’ first-person experiences in the monster attack and less on creature backstory and exposition. This prompted fans to come up with their own explanations, like Clover being from outer space, but this was denied by producer J. J. Abrams. Rather, the alternate theory that it came from the Atlantic Ocean after being awakened by humans was confirmed in supplemental material. Abrams also confirmed that this Clover was a “baby,” which explains why the one seen in “The Cloverfield Paradox” is so much bigger.

#14: Killer Count

“Scream VI” (2023)

This isn’t the first “Scream” entry, and it won’t be the last. While beforehand not a constant, it seemed like the franchise had gotten comfortable with having two killers per film. But upping the count to three has been a popular theory for each sequel, so it makes sense that the fans would eventually be right. While “Scream 2” originally went this way before a script leak forced them to pivot, it finally happens in “Scream VI” when it’s revealed the Bailey family is behind the killings in New York City. Technically speaking, though, you could count four killers if you include Jason from the film’s opening.

#13: Jason Is a Deadite

“Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday” (1993)

Again, this is just one sequel director’s interpretation, but it still counts for this list. In the ninth “Friday the 13th” film, “Jason Goes to Hell,” spotted can be the Necronomicon - aka the Book of the Dead - along with the Kandarian dagger from the “Evil Dead” franchise. It’s just an Easter egg, but according to director Adam Marcus, it’s an entire explanation. His reasoning for Jason’s evil and undead nature stems from Mrs. Voorhees reading from the book to bring her son back to life. Whether you believe this or not, it did reportedly get the approval of “Evil Dead” creator Sam Raimi. And like it or not, the closest to an actual crossover we’ll probably get is the comic book miniseries “Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash.”

#12: Predators Breed Aliens

“Alien vs. Predator” (2004)

Sure, the “AVP” movies exist firmly in their own branch of the universe, but it undeniably answers a few questions regarding the two species. In “Predator 2,” fans noticed a trophy Xenomorph skull aboard the Yautja ship. Given the animalistic nature of the former and hunting nature of the latter, this essentially confirmed that one species preyed on the other. But some fans speculated it went deeper than that. Given that Xenomorph breeding can be a controlled process, some thought that the Predators might’ve been doing so for the express purpose of hunting them. Sure enough, the first crossover movie reveals they’ve been doing this for thousands of years, with human incubators, no less. Whether the Predators created the Xenomorphs outright is a whole other theory.

#11: Time Travel

“The Blair Witch Project” (1999)

“The Blair Witch Project” is a film better left ambiguous, but what are you gonna do when sequels come along? With the few details given regarding the first film’s actual plot, some fans have come to the conclusion that the three characters were transported back to the 1940s by the titular witch before coming across Rustin Parr’s cabin. It’s a little complicated to fully explain here, but the manipulation of time is at least confirmed in the 2016 sequel, simply titled “Blair Witch.” In it, the main characters separate in the woods before reuniting, only there’s significant disagreement in how long it’s been. Since the existence of the witch is also seemingly confirmed, so too is its ability to manipulate one’s perception of time.

#10: A Different Death

“Pet Sematary” (2019)

When you’re remaking a well-known horror movie, you often want to stay within the general confines of the original but tweak a few small details to keep things fresh. With this in mind, fans foresaw a way that 2019’s “Pet Sematary” could make the classic story its own. In the Stephen King novel and 1989 adaptation, toddler Gage Creed is tragically killed by a speeding truck, and his father Louis revives him in the mystical grounds past the titular cemetery. Trouble is, nothing comes back the same. Seeing as Gage has an older sister Ellie in every version, fans figured it might be interesting if she was the one who turned. This was confirmed when the second trailer for the remake was released.

#9: Michael Myers Is Cursed

“Halloween” franchise (1978-)

The ‘80s were inundated with seemingly unkillable slashers, most of them of the silent, lumbering variety. While fans are naturally going to come up with a slew of explanations, this 1995 sequel may be proof that some things are better left to the imagination. In “The Curse of Michael Myers” - the producer’s cut, anyway - it revealed that the titular villain was actually inducted into the Cult of Thorn, whereby he’s imbued with supernatural abilities and the drive to kill his family to ensure prosperity for the community. It’s honestly bad storytelling whatever way you slice it, but thankfully, this is just one of the multiple “Halloween” continuities, so you’re not beholden to it if you still want to enjoy the franchise.

#8: Kirby’s Survival

“Scream 4” (2011)

The “Scream” franchise has so many fan-favorite characters that it became known for revealing at least one survivor some time after the climaxes. However, one character’s fate that was left up in the air for several years was “Scream 4’s” Kirby Reed. After being stabbed twice and left for dead by Charlie, it seemed likely she bled out before authorities arrived. Dewey later only informs Jill of Sidney’s survival, but fans theorized that family confidentiality laws might’ve prevented him from mentioning Kirby. It seemed we’d never know when initial plans for sequels became shelved, but finally 2022’s “Scream” confirmed her survival with a subtle Easter egg. Hayden Panettiere then reprised the role in “Scream VI,” only her survival this time is much more definite.

#7: “Get Out” Is a Sequel to “Being John Malkovich”

“Get Out” (2017)

Okay, this one is almost too ludicrous to actually be true, but when the creator confirms it, can we really argue? This theory stems from the movies’ inclusion of shared actor Catherine Keener. Supposedly, Keener plays the same character, who, after having experience managing a business whereby people can enter and control the mind of John Malkovich, takes on a new identity and teams with the elders to shake things up. She marries into the Armitage family, who has experience with neurosurgery, and together they’re able to perfect the process and start importing people into black bodies on a wide scale. Ludicrous, yes, but “Get Out” creator Jordan Peele has been quoted as saying, “As far as I’m concerned, it’s true.” So, there you go.

#6: Richie Is Gay

“It” (2017)

This theory actually goes all the way back to the original Stephen King novel. Readers inferred Richie Tozier’s playful ribbing of Eddie Kaspbrak as being more than friendly, even though King didn’t intentionally write it that way. The theory resurfaced in 2017 with the advent of the first theatrical adaptation. With the release of 2019’s “It Chapter Two,” Richie’s sexuality was indeed confirmed. Not only that, but it all but solidified the notion that Richie indeed had feelings for Eddie prior to the latter’s death. Though King’s been known to criticize major changes in his adaptations, he actually approved of the official inclusion, calling the added character detail “kind of genius.” It just goes to show that stories are constantly evolving, often for the better.

#5: “Split” Takes Place in the “Unbreakable” Universe

“Split” (2016)

For many, the release of 2016’s “Split” marked a return to form for writer-director M. Night Shyamalan. For some, they suspected beforehand that it was a backdoor sequel to 2000’s “Unbreakable.” While “Split” is at heart a standalone psychological thriller, the fact that it centers on a killer with dissociative identity disorder - with one personality able to alter physical makeup and imbue superhuman abilities - had people wondering. Seeing as talks of a sequel to Shyamalan’s grounded superhero movie “Unbreakable” were heating up around the same time, fans wondered if that and “Split” were one and the same. Thankfully the secret was well-kept for most audiences, so the appearance of Bruce Willis’s David Dunn at the end remained a surprise.

#4: “Final Destination 5” Is a Prequel

“Final Destination 5” (2011)

You’d think a movie called “Final Destination 5” would follow up the events of the first four. But that’s just what producers were counting on when they released it in 2011. Though the movie goes through the motions of a regular “Final Destination ” film, the final scene reveals it takes place in the year of 2000 and that the main protagonists are actually on the doomed Flight 180 from the original film. It’s a neat twist, and the movie surprisingly earned the highest marks of the franchise. Still, you can’t keep deductive fans down, as this plot point became a popular theory online beforehand. By the time they saw the movie and noticed subtle clues like out-of-date license plates, they knew the reveal was imminent.

#3: Lawrence Gordon Became an Accomplice

“Saw” (2004)

The “Saw” franchise saw seven movies released every October between 2004 and 2010, but it wasn’t until the supposed “Final Chapter” that the most long-standing question got answered: what happened to Dr. Gordon? In one of the most shocking endings in movie history, the original “Saw” sees Gordon amputate his foot and crawl away in search of help. The idea of Gordon bleeding out seemed anticlimactic to fans, so his survival made the most sense. However, seeing as he’d need immediate medical attention and the fact that the bathroom never gets discovered led fans to believe he was helped by his very captors. And since Jigsaw recruits multiple victims, it made sense Gordon would join the team with a new lease on life. Sure enough…

#2: Jesus Christ Was an Engineer

“Prometheus” (2012)

This revelation doesn’t actually come about in the film itself, and it would frankly be quite crazy if it did. But it has been confirmed by director Ridley Scott all the same. In this sci-fi / horror prequel to the “Alien” franchise, it’s revealed that humanity was planted by a biologically similar extraterrestrial race known as the Engineers. About 2,000 years before the film’s events, Engineers attempted to wipe out humanity, but failed to even make the trip to Earth. Timeline-wise, fans theorized this was in conjunction with the days of Jesus Christ. Indeed, Scott later clarified that the attempted genocide would’ve been in response to humans crucifying an Engineer emissary, but Scott later removed this detail for being “a little too on-the-nose.”

#1: Jack Torrance Is the Reincarnated Caretaker

“The Shining” (1980)

“The Shining” is one of those movies that transcends any one interpretation, perhaps even of its writer-director. But for the sake of this list, we’ll defer to Stanley Kubrick’s statements circa 1982. Though the film’s classic status took time to develop, hardcore cinephiles were already dissecting it. In this case, some took Jack Torrance’s appearance in a photograph taken at the Overlook in 1921 as an indication that he was a direct reincarnation of a previous caretaker. While others infer other things, like Jack was instead absorbed into the hotel, Kubrick was actually a proponent of the reincarnation theory. While his take certainly holds more weight than others, we’ll always love ruminating on multiple interpretations with this endlessly mystifying film..

And now, let's take a look at 10 horror movie theories that turned out to be wrong.

#10: Kevin McAllister Grew Up to Be Jigsaw,

“Saw” (2004)

One of the internet’s most infamous “too crazy to be true” theories imagines that “Home Alone’s” mischievous Kevin McCallister grew up to become “Saw’s” sadistic mastermind, John Kramer. The theory claims Kevin’s penchant for elaborate booby traps and psychological torment was early evidence of his darker future. It’s a fun exercise in headcanon — both characters are inventive and eerily calm under pressure — but it collapses under the weight of… you know… common sense. Kevin’s a precocious ’90s kid from Chicago; Kramer is a terminally ill engineer. Even “Saw” creators Leigh Whannell and James Wan have laughed it off, saying the resemblance is “amazing,” but coincidental. Still, this meme-worthy theory persists because, let’s face it: Kevin’s traps were way too brutal for a kid’s movie.

#9: Jason Is Also a Tethered,

“Us” (2019)

Among the many theories swirling around Jordan Peele’s “Us,” one of the most popular claimed that Jason, Adelaide’s son, was secretly a Tethered. His quirky behavior and uncanny knack for mimicry led some fans to believe he shared his mother’s hidden origins. But Peele himself has poured cold water on this idea. In interviews, he implied that Jason isn’t a Tethered at all: he’s simply unusually perceptive, describing him as able to “see through the veil” and “a little step ahead of us.” Jason’s insight reflects the film’s deeper themes of generational trauma and intuition rather than a literal swap. It’s proof that sometimes a creepy kid in a horror movie is just that… and not secretly a monster.

#8: Sarah Is the Killer,

“The Descent” (2005)

One fan theory about this subterranean spine-chiller suggests that the terrifying crawlers don’t exist at all — Sarah is the real killer. The theory points to her fragile mental state, the fact that she’s the first to “see” the monsters, and her increasingly feral behavior, especially toward Juno, her late husband’s lover. Supporters argue that the cave’s horrors reflect Sarah’s grief and rage, and that her blood-soaked rampage is a psychological breakdown, not a fight for survival. It’s a fascinating lens that turns the film into a portrait of trauma and madness, but “The Descent Part 2” debunks it outright, confirming the creatures are very real.

#7: The Aliens Are Demons,

“Signs” (2002)

M. Night Shyamalan’s sci-fi thriller inspired a theory that its invaders aren’t extraterrestrials at all, but demons. Fans highlight the creatures’ aversion to water, which some interpret as holy water, and their lack of advanced technology as clues to their supernatural nature. The film’s overt religious themes, including Graham’s crisis of faith and divine intervention in the finale, strengthen this reading. But this interpretation creates a major plot hole within the film’s world: characters and news reports treat the beings as aliens, and there’s no in-universe suggestion of a spiritual battle beyond Graham’s personal arc. While intriguing, this theory is more a creative reframe than a hidden truth, showing how Shyamalan’s mix of faith and sci-fi invites wild reinterpretation.

#6: The Two Loomises

“Halloween” (1978)

Some horror fans like to imagine that Donald Pleasence’s iconic Dr. Loomis from “Halloween” is secretly Sam Loomis, Marion Crane’s boyfriend from “Psycho,” suggesting Hitchcock’s groundbreaking thriller and Carpenter’s slasher exist in the same universe. Beyond the shared name, though, there’s no real evidence. Carpenter named Dr. Loomis as a direct homage to “Psycho,” not an intentional continuation of that character. Plus, Sam Loomis in Hitchcock’s film is a hardware store manager with no medical training, making the leap to psychiatrist a stretch. This theory is a fun nod to horror history but collapses under scrutiny — it’s a clever Easter egg, not a crossover.

#5: There Was No Monster

“It Follows” (2014)

David Robert Mitchell’s “It Follows” practically invites the fan theory that its slow-moving, shape-shifting monster represents sexually transmitted diseases. The entity passes to a new host through sex, and characters attempt to “outrun” it by sleeping with others, a mechanism that mirrors the spread of an STD. While it’s an elegant metaphor, director Mitchell has said the creature isn’t meant to represent one specific danger but rather the universal dread of mortality and inevitability. The STD theory simplifies a film intentionally steeped in dream logic and ambiguity, reducing its haunting premise to a PSA. Still, the association persists because it’s both obvious and chilling — yet another way that horror makes doin’ the nasty feel this dangerous.

#4: Samara Was Inspired By a Japanese Urban Legend,

“The Ring” (2002)

Because Gore Verbinski’s “The Ring” revolves around a cursed videotape passed along like an urban legend, many viewers assume the story itself comes from an apocryphal real-world tale. In reality, Hideo Nakata’s original “Ringu” film and director Verbinski’s American remake are based on Koji Suzuki’s novel, which draws inspiration from Japanese folktales, particularly the vengeful ghost archetype known as onryō. Characters like Sadako owe more to centuries-old stories of wronged women returning from the grave than to contemporary urban myths. The confusion likely stems from the movie’s subject matter — it explores how rumors spread like urban legends — making the curse feel eerily plausible. It’s a clever narrative trick: a folktale dressed up as modern horror, blurring the line between ancient superstition and modern fears.

#3: Josh & Mike Plotted to Take Heather’s Life,

“The Blair Witch Project” (1999)

One of the most persistent fan theories about “The Blair Witch Project” is that Josh and Mike lured Heather into the woods to murder her, explaining the group’s disorientation and her disappearance. But this idea crumbles under scrutiny. The trio’s escalating fear, the unexplained noises at night, and the eerie stick figures and rock piles strongly suggest a supernatural presence rather than a staged crime. The final scene, with Mike standing motionless in the corner as Heather screams, mirrors a local legend the film establishes earlier, reinforcing the Blair Witch mythos. While it’s a creative attempt to rationalize the film’s ambiguity, this theory ignores key narrative details and the filmmakers’ intent: the horror lies in the unseen, not a simple murder mystery.

#2: Based On a “True” Story,

“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974)

Tobe Hooper’s pioneering slasher opens with a chilling title card claiming the events are real, convincing generations of horror fans that Leatherface’s rampage really happened. In truth, the film is entirely fictional. Hooper admitted he used the “true story” gimmick to give the movie a gritty, documentary feel, capitalizing on a 1970s appetite for realism. Leatherface was loosely inspired by serial killer Ed Gein, but Gein never wielded a chainsaw or slaughtered teenagers in rural Texas. Hooper’s marketing trick worked too well, cementing “Chain Saw’s” place in horror history as a shocking, even “forbidden” film. It’s a reminder that sometimes the scariest thing about a movie is how believable a lie can be.

#1: The Moon Landing

“The Shining” (1980)

Among the strangest theories about “The Shining” is that the film is Stanley Kubrick’s coded confession to helping NASA fake the Apollo 11 moon landing. Fans point to Danny’s Apollo 11 sweater, Room 237 (matching the moon’s distance in thousands of miles), and cryptic imagery as Kubrick’s hidden admission. But this conspiracy collapses almost instantly: there’s no evidence Kubrick ever worked with NASA in this capacity, and the theory relies entirely on numerology and symbolic guesswork. Scholars and Kubrick’s collaborators have dismissed the claim outright, noting that Kubrick meticulously adapted Stephen King’s novel with his own themes of abuse, trauma, and isolation, not secret history. It’s a testament to Kubrick’s dense visuals that “The Shining” inspired this much myth-making… even if it’s all nonsense.

Did you think that any of these theories were true? Let us know in the comments below!